Economy

There are five main pillars that support Atchison's economy - manufacturing, educational services, healthcare, retail trade, and agriculture. Though there are a number of other sectors that are integral to the success of the local economy, these five pillars represent more than two thirds of the local workforce. Atchison boasts a higher percentage of total employment in these sectors than the rest of the state and nation.

Manufacturing

Nearly 25% of the local population are employed by manufacturing companies.

Atchison's percentage of manufacturing employees is more than double the national average of 12 percent. MGP Ingredients, manufacturers of beverage and industrial alcohol celebrated 75 years in the community. Stresscrete, manufacturer of spun concrete lighting and utility poles, and Inclusion Technologies, which produces wheat nuts, are some of the more recent additions to the City.

Retail Trade

Atchison offers nearly 50 local retail businesses, most organized around a beautiful Riverfront and an outdoor walking mall in Downtown Atchison. Vintage and resale shops are especially abundant and popular for local residents and tourists alike. Easy walking between locations makes for an enjoyable Saturday day trip destination.

Demographics

30 mile population: 225,000+

20 mile population: 74,000+

Atchison City Limits: 11,000+

Median Age (Atchison County): 36.3

Median income:$41,949

Taxable Sales: $246,709,176

Traffic Counts

K-7 State Hwy & U.S. Hwy 59: 10,000+

Main Street: 7,800+

Educational Services

Atchison employs over five times the state and national averages in the education sector.

Atchison is fortunate to have a four year college as well as a regional junior college. The community also benefits from an international boarding high school along with excellent choices in both public and private K-12 education. Benedictine College alone employs nearly 300 people with a full-time student enrollment of 1,900 and has been cited in the U.S. News & World Report as one of the best Catholic colleges in America. Highland Community College offers traditional Associate degrees and also boasts a technical center which includes training certificates in welding, electrical, engineering technology, and many others. The technical center provides great support for the local manufacturing sector and other employers as well.

Healthcare

Atchison is on par with the average employed in the healthcare sector in the state and nation.

Atchison Hospital has been the leading healthcare provider in the Atchison community and surrounding area since 1912. In 2010, a new 85,000 square-foot, single-story facility was built. The building allows all departments and nurses' stations to be in close proximity which increases efficiency in patient care. This community hospital is full service, offering most of the services than are typically found in larger communities. Atchison also has a regional mental health care provider and an in-patient drug and alcohol rehab facility along with a number of extended care facilities.

Agriculture

Atchison County has over 600 farms that produce more than $60 million in annual sales.

Atchison serves as a regional hub to store and transfer grain to the rest of the world. Storage facilities in the planning area have the capacity to stockpile many millions of bushels. In addition to readying grain to be shipped to the global marketplace, these storage facilities supply a number of local production facilities. Products produced in the area, with locally grown grain include - beverage and industrial alcohol, a variety of specialty wheat proteins and starches, nut replacements, corn meal, brewers grits, corn flour, and animal feed, just to name a few.

About Our Community

Whether you need resources, investment capital, expertise navigating business tax credits and grant programs or just a cadre of like-minded entrepreneurs and many levels of corporate leadership, Grow Atchison can help.